At the present time blue, green, red and violet pigments come into the market under the name of ultramarine. The green and blue have been commercial articles for about seventy years; the violet and red were introduced about the year 1860.

At first the name ultramarine was restricted to a natural blue pigment obtained from lapis lazuli, which was extremely costly. Accounts of the payments of Italian artists, still extant, show the expensive nature of the ultramarine blue used in their paintings. At that time, when artists were compelled themselves to make the majority of their pigments, ultramarine was made in a most laborious manner from lapis lazuli, for which incredibly high prices were paid. In order to make the mineral easier to powder the lumps were heated, and, whilst hot, thrown into water. They were then powdered as finely as possible. The powder was mixed with melted resin, and the mixture kneaded under water for a long time. The ultramarine suspended in the water by this crude method of levigation was obtained by allowing the wash waters to settle. Few places are known at which lapis lazuli occurs in quantity. It is chiefly obtained in China and Thibet, and, considering the little intercourse between Europe and these distant countries at that time, it is no wonder that the price of ultramarine was fabulously high. One ounce cost about £8—a price which is explained by the small yield of ultramarine from the best lapis lazuli. By the most careful work not more than from 2 to 3 per cent. of the mineral was obtained, the residue consisted of foreign minerals.

The enormously high price of this pigment was the stimulus for the endeavours to make it artificially. The attempts are to be regarded not only as completely successful, but it must be allowed that science has gone a considerable step further than nature, since the researches have made it known that there is not only a blue ultramarine, but also a green, and, according to the latest researches, there exist in addition violet, red and white compounds, also to be described as ultramarines. With the discovery of the methods by which ultramarine can be made artificially, the preparation of this pigment from lapis lazuli came to an end, and has now but historic interest. The discovery of artificial ultramarine is due to the French chemist Guimet and to the great German chemist Gmelin. Ultramarine was first manufactured in Germany in the year 1828 by A. Köttig, as a branch of the porcelain works at Meissen in Saxony, where the manufacture was continued for about fifty years.

The discovery of the aniline dyes is rightly called a triumph of human intellect. The artificial manufacture of ultramarine deserves the same description in no less degree, although it has not effected so great a revolution as the former.

Attempts to make ultramarine artificially would naturally be based on the analysis of the natural product. The following comparison of the compositions of natural and artificial ultramarines shows how nearly the artificial product approaches the natural:—

NATURAL ULTRAMARINE.

Clément and Desormes.Gmelin.
Silica35·8per cent.  47·31  per cent.
Alumina34·8”22·00”
Soda23·2”12·06”
Lime3·1”1·55”
Sulphuric acid—”4·68”
Sulphur3·1”0·19”
Water and organic matter—”12·21”

ARTIFICIAL ULTRAMARINE.

Blue.Green.
Observer. Warrentrapp. Elfen. Brunner. Pohl. Gentele.
Silica45·6040·0 2·5436·6747·31 
Alumina23·3129·525·2532·12
Soda21·4723·016·9121·4539·93
(sodium silicate)
Potash 1·75——— 3·92
Lime 0·02— 2·38— 1·13
Sulphuric Acid  3·83 3·4— 2·08—
Sulphur 1·69 4·111·63 7·22 6·62
Iron 1·06 1·0 2·25trace 1·95
(ferric silicate)
Water—————
Oxygen—— 9·04 0·58—

I. Szilasi found three samples of green ultramarine to have the following composition:—